For Schools

Current Teachers in the US

Cultural Activity Requirement

International teachers are required to do and report to us on at least two cultural activities each school year. We encourage school leaders to take part in the exchange teacher’s cross-cultural activity requirement that opens the American classroom to dialogue with the exchange teacher’s home country. Teachers are required to do two activities and fill out a form reporting about them. Principals will automatically receive a copy of the report at the end of the school year. The two activities are different: Activity 1 is focused on teaching about and sharing culture and can be something as simple as sharing native foods or presenting to the faculty or students. Activity 2 is focused on connection and involves introducing either the principal, staff, or students to someone in the home country.

Emergency Contact Numbers

Emergency Hotline number:  1-866-283-9090

Sagamore Emergency Number:  317-754-4227

When you will hear from  Sagamore

School Visit – Fall or Spring: If you have a new J-1 teacher, we will try to visit your school building sometime in the Spring or Fall just to check in and get to know you better.

Sign up for Newsletter: You can sign up to receive the general Sagamore newsletter

https://sagamoreinstitute.org/get-involved/subscribe-to-newsletter/

Renewal Process: We will reach out to you at the end of each school year to see if you need additional teachers.

Annual Assurances – Information Updates:

We send each school that is hosting teachers an email annually with instructions to complete a form that asks for:

  1. Assurances that the school remains eligible to participate
  2. Any updates to their primary contact information
  3. Requests contracts
  4. Reminds them of the incident reporting form and who to contact with issues

When you should contact us

Positive Events

Please reach out if a J-1 Teacher wins an award, etc.  Send us a picture for the website or our private FB group. Teachers are very encouraged when they are featured!

Health Emergencies

We understand HIPAA obligations, but we are required to submit incident reports in these situations.

Performance Issues

Incident Reports – Reporting Visitor/Host School Issues   https://sagamore.tfaforms.net/4946301 

Sagamore Exchange Visitors and Host Schools are encouraged to complete the form if they need to report an issue that we should be aware of (categories include criminal justice system involvement, working conditions, abuse of any kind, teacher safety, health or mental health concerns, etc.).  Please ensure that the teacher receives due process in the event an alleged violation of the law or educator code of conduct is made. Circumstances which require notification to the Department of State are listed here: [22 CFR 62.13 Examples of incidents include death or serious injury, sexual abuse, arrest of an exchange visitor, or the involvement of an exchange visitor as a victim or perpetrator of a serious crime].

Our approach:

  • We will always listen to both points of view.
  • We will work to find a root cause and solve to find a solution.
  • We will follow up with the EV and/or host school after the resolution has been implemented.
  • We follow the Department of State’s guidance for reporting incidents.
  • We strive to protect the health, safety, and welfare of exchange visitors and respond to incidents such as serious crime, sexual abuse, arrest, and/or potential litigation.
  • Sagamore will notify the Department of State promptly by telephone (to be confirmed in writing) of any serious problem or controversy which could be expected to bring the Department of State or the sponsor’s program into notoriety or disrepute [22 CFR 62.13(b)].

Consultant Services

Sagamore has access to a variety of consultants who can support teachers with repeated issues in the classroom and lead cross cultural engagement seminars in your building. Please reach out if you have questions!

Insurance

Click the link below to learn more about visiting teachers and insurance.

Click Here

Taxes & Withholding

New! Sprintax forms can help!

  • Sagamore has contracted with SPRINTAX (provider of tax filing software for non-residents) to allow each new teacher access to a system that will determine tax treaty eligibility, determine residency for tax purposes and complete a W-4 form.
  • There is NO COST to the teacher for this service and it will help get the initial tax paperwork and withholding set up correctly.  Each teacher can use the service ONE time.  The teacher will be provided with a code to use at check-out so that the cost of the service will be paid by Sagamore.
  • Please work with your teacher to make sure that they complete this correctly.  If they have the school information and the EIN, the W-4 and other completed forms can be printed right from the website.
  • Please let us know if you have questions!  The software is easy to use, with helpful hints and a live chat feature.

Helpful facts to understand:

  • Download the helpful Sprintax guide!
  • If this is the visiting teacher’s first time living/earning in the US, the teacher will file a non-resident tax return for the first two calendar years and the teacher will not pay Medicare or Social Security (FICA) taxes during that time, so these should not be withheld from pay.  Teachers start paying these payroll taxes as of January of the third calendar year in the United States (so withholding should be in place).
  • In addition, there are some special considerations when calculating the withholding rate for non-residents.  These can be found in Publication 15. Additional information can be found in this document.  Please assist exchange teachers in understanding how to complete the W-4 with regard to withholding.
  • Unless there is a tax treaty, teachers understand that they will be paying federal, state and local taxes.
  • Non-resident tax returns cannot be completed using popular on-line tax software.  Sagamore partners with Sprintax and provides teachers with a discount code each year.  The cost for a simple return seems to be around $75 (depends on the number of forms used).  The process is entirely online and can be confusing to a teacher who is expecting someone to help them through the process.
Link to Sprintax Forms
Step by Step Guide to Sprintax Forms
Download Helpful Sprintax Guide

Important HR Documents

The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine an applicant’s eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.

The Form DS-2019 or “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” is the basic document used in the administration of the exchange visitor program. This form permits a prospective exchange visitor to seek an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain a J visa to enter the United States. The Form DS-2019 identifies the exchange visitor and their designated sponsor and provides a brief description of the exchange visitor’s program, including the start and end date, category of exchange, and an estimate of the cost of the exchange program. Each Form DS-2019 is printed with a unique identifier known as a “SEVIS ID number” in the top right-hand corner, which consists of an “alpha” character (N) and up to 11 numerical characters

The visa is printed inside the passport.  To obtain a copy, the HR office would need to copy the page in the teacher’s passport. The visa is a teacher’s entrance into the U.S. In some cases the expiration date on the visa will be different than on the DS2019. The program end date on the DS2019 is the important date. In some rare instances the visa will be expired before the DS2019 Program End date. If a teacher leaves the U.S. with an expired visa they will need to renew that visa prior to reentry. They are fine to be in the U.S. on an expired visa as long as their DS2019 Program End date has not passed.

This is a document which indicates that the teacher entered the country legally. It is easily downloaded from a website titled: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home   However, please note, you must click on “Get Most Recent I-94” after the teacher has crossed the US border. You should NOT click on “Apply for a New I-94” as there is a charge for this service.

 

While completing the I-9 is a regular task for anyone working with new hires, completing one for an exchange teacher can have its challenges. Due to many differences that are not present when onboarding other teachers, we have created step-by-step instructions for completing an I-9 with an exchange teacher. This includes information from the teacher’s visa, DS-2019, and I-94. Please review this document before filling out the I-9 with the teacher.  You will need to make sure the teacher provides photocopies of the following documents:

  • passport
  • visa
  • I-94
  • DS-2019

LINK to Official Instructions (PDF): https://www.uscis.gov/book/export/html/59502 

LINK to E-verify User Manual (PDF): https://www.e-verify.gov/book/export/html/2113 

We will need a copy of the fully executed teacher contract (both parties have signed and dated) for each year. That can be emailed to us or uploaded on the school portal. The contract must include the name, location, and brief description of the host school; the terms and conditions of compensation (with deductions from gross salary); any provisions affecting the ability of the exchange teacher to be accompanied abroad by a spouse or dependents (included any related assistance and allowances); a summary of the significant components of the program (including a statement of the teaching requirements and related professional obligations).

J-2 spouses and older children who want to be able to work in the United States may file Form I-765,  Application for Employment Authorization, to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

  • There is a $520 non-refundable filing fee paid to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • The application can take 12 weeks or more to process.
  • If issued, the work permit is good for two years. If the J-2 wishes to continue working after that time, they must re-apply.
  • The application may be completed by the teacher/dependent
  • While Sagamore does not offer assistance with completing this application, we do have an I-765 Resource Page to provide helpful information for the J-1/J-2 to complete the application process.

The application process must be completed very precisely.  After reviewing the application, the USCIS may deny the request or they may send a letter asking for additional information.  If additional information is requested, follow the directions in the letter to submit the documentation.

The U.S. government created this pamphlet at the prompting of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (Public Law 110-457), which reaffirms and strengthens the U.S. government’s commitment to fight human trafficking and labor abuses. Teachers can also access the pamphlet in their native language.

When teachers arrive in the United States, they start the process of obtaining a social security number. The Social Security Administration has stated that they are allowed to work after they have applied and while waiting to receive their number. If you have any questions about this process, please reach out to us and we would be happy to talk you through it.

Should you need a copy of Sagamore’s W-9, we have provided it here.

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